“Is that why she hasn’t dated before?”
“Nah, she’s just picky and her parents are even pickier,” Jedediah chuckled.
“Then I am honored to be the first.”
“Yeah about that, how much do you care for her?”
“I never thought I’d say this so soon, but I really feel like I’m falling in love with her.”
Jedediah chuckled knowing that feeling himself, “That’s good, because she’s a rare prize to have.”
“Will Talei and her family be going back to Kaloki Island with you for spring break?”
“Yep, her father’s the Chief’s son.”
“Oh, now I understand why she has been kept from dating. They hold things sacred.”
“Most definitely,” Jedediah chuckled.
“Jedediah, do you think I might come along with you when you return to Kaloki Island?”
“Oh man, I’m not sure about that one. I’ll be so busy with my girl and her family.”
“Then perhaps I could remain on Kaloki Island and get to know her family more.”
“I won’t say no, just let me talk with them about it first, although I’m sure they knew it would come to this.”
“I would be most grateful if you’d put in a good word for me.”
“Yeah, I know my cousin really likes you, so I guess I will.” Jedediah smiled and gave Kawikani a fist bump.
~~~
When spring break came, Kawikani was welcomed by Talei’s family to spend the time with them on Kaloki Island. Micah wanted to test his mettle and Jedediah kind of felt sorry for him when he dropped him off. Not only Micah was there, but also Eli, Andrew and Ratu Daniel in all their traditional attire. Jedediah would never forget the look on Kawikani’s face when he drove away.
After he dropped anchor above the grotto, he swam below to Seturus’ waiting arms and a seafood stew boiling on top of the grate in the hot coals of the fire ring.
“Now is spring break?”
“Yep, I’m yours for two weeks.” Jedediah grinned.
“Then I am very happy.” She kissed him.
“I gotta say I’m pretty proud of Kawikani; it takes courage facing the Fijians and him alone too.”
“I am so happy for Talei; she has wanted this for so long.”
“Really, I never thought she was interested in anyone before.”
“She was not; at first she had the emotions of the humans and then the mating call of the mermaids took over,” Seturus giggled.
“I see, so the mer are pretty determined when it’s their time.” Jedediah nibbled on her ear.
She giggled again, “Jedediah, I cannot think when you do that!”
“Okay, okay, but just so you know; it won’t be long now and we’ll return to Safe Harbor and I’ll show you how humans feel about it.” He grinned as he looked lovingly into her eyes.
“I shall try and be patient for that day,” she giggled and then Jedediah tickled her and wrapped his arms around her tightly and kissed her.
~~~
After a week of Kawikani visiting, he still was not allowed to see Talei. He was woken up early in the morning and taken by canoe with several others, even some women inside a second canoe. They paddled some distance away to another island. When they arrived Micah had some of his men go onto the island and retrieve a large wooden cross. It was clear to Kawikani that the cross would never fit inside either of the two canoes.
“I am glad that you have come to help us celebrate our tradition,” said Micah with a genuine smile.
“I am honored to be here, though I don’t know what’s happening,” he chuckled.
Several of the men carried the cross into the water and began swimming it. Micah paddled just ahead of them with the men and the women sang in the canoe behind the cross as it was being swum.
“This is our Easter tradition. We share the cross with this island; next year they will swim the cross back to their island from ours.”
“Your men will swim the cross all the way back to Kaloki Island?”
“Yes, while our women sing a song of thanksgiving and honor for the sacrifice made.”
“That’s really beautiful.”
“Yes it is. Talei’s grandmother is Kalea; the woman at the front of the canoe. She is Hawaiian like you.”
“I can’t understand the words they’re singing. Where are your wife and Talei?”
“They sing the song also; you will see them later at the island.”
Kawikani looked back to the canoe and looked for Talei, but didn’t see her. He almost felt like she was there, but knew it must be his imagination.
After the cross arrived at Kaloki Island, they set it up into its base on the beach. Everyone sat down in a long row and a large woven mat was brought out. They all enjoyed the view of the lagoon. Ratu Daniel sat down at the end and told the Easter message; afterwards, a great feast was brought out and set down on the mat.
Still Talei had not been present among the villagers. Kawikani was becoming frustrated and couldn’t understand why Talei was not allowed to join the service or even the meal.
“You care for my daughter?” Micah asked.
“Yes, very much,” Kawikani said honestly.
“You will protect her from any harm?”
“Of course I will.” Kawikani thought it a strange request from her father.
“You will keep the ways of my people secret?”
“Yes,” Kawikani said, but also thought it an odd thing for Micah to ask him. Then Kawikani looked out to the lagoon and saw Talei and another white haired young woman surface.
Talei hugged the other woman and after she did, the woman turned and dove into the water and her shimmering blue-green tail followed behind her until the tip of her tailfin disappeared.
Kawikani caught his breath, but continued to watch telling himself that all of it was real.
Talei began walking out of the water. She had on a shell bathing top and a rough leather skirt. She had a belt around her waist which held a white knife. She had a crown of black pearls upon her head and her long curly hair was dripping from the water. She continued to stare seriously at Kawikani as she walked up onto the beach towards him.
Kawikani saw her ears for the first time and realized that she must be a half mermaid.
“My daughter is a merwalker. That was her mother you saw with her. They followed beneath the canoe and sang the songs of my people.”
“I am in shock, but I will understand it all when my brain catches up,” Kawikani chuckled.
Now Talei smiled to him as she came and sat down on the sand next to Kawikani. “Thank you for coming to meet my family.”
“You are welcome.” Now so much made sense; how could he not have known before? The legends of his people also told of the mer; now he knew they were all true. Kawikani took Talei’s hand, letting her know that he accepted her difference.
Talei smiled and then looked to her father.
“We are glad you came to know our daughter and now we ask that you keep our secret of the mer,” said Micah seriously.
“Yes, I will.” Kawikani said with love for Talei and honor for her and her family.
Kawikani saw all the mer rise out of the water in the lagoon and Jedediah was with them. He kissed one of the mermaids and then he walked up onto the beach and went and sat down with Kawikani and Talei. Kawikani was again amazed by the number of them; Jedediah must also be related to be able to stay beneath the water for some time. “You sure kept their secret,” Kawikani chuckled.
“I have to; I told you they’re family.” He smiled.
Micah gave Jedediah a fist bump across Kawikani and Talei. “Bula!”
Jedediah met his fist bump, “Glad to be here, now let’s eat!”
~~~~~
Chapter 29
HOMEWARD BOUND
School had ended that day and Jedediah took Kawikani to Kaloki Island and then he dropped anchor over the grotto once more. He put his phone in a plastic bag and swam it d
own and through the opening of the grotto. When he surfaced he smelled the wonderful fragrance of clam chowder bubbling on the grate. Seturus had become a good cook over the past year and Jedediah loved coming home to her; that’s what he knew it would be one day.
“No more school?” she asked with a big smile.
“Nope, no more school!” He went and hugged and kissed her. “Thank you for making me clam chowder, you know its one of my favorites.”
“Yes, I know,” she said as she ran her fingers down the side of his face, “I love you so much.”
“Not as much as I love you,” he chuckled knowing it had become their little game.
“I will love you for as long as I live,” she said and then kissed him tenderly.
“I know you will.” He looked seriously into her eyes and kissed her again. Then he carefully took his phone out of the plastic bag and sat it on the ledge of the cavern floor.
“What are you doing?” She grinned.
“Something I should’ve done a long time ago, but tonight is a special occasion. This night I have officially become a Guardian and we’re about to be married.” He smiled and then turned on his phone and selected his playlist. As the music started he took Seturus in his arms and they two began to dance in the water to Toby Mac’s Hold On.
~~~
That next morning the mer began to line up and get ready to swim back to the North Atlantic. Jedediah had driven the yacht back to Kaloki Island earlier and picked up Micah, Andrew and also Kawikani; he was allowed to travel back to Safe Harbor so he might have more time with Talei; under the watchful eye of Micah.
Micah now drove the yacht and they followed King Titus’ lead as Jedediah helped to guide them above the mer. All the men knew it would be hard to be separated from their mermaids, but there would be occasions to stop for feeding and resting and they all knew they would be able to hold them then.
After a few days of traveling, the mer stopped to rest and allowed Lana, Talei, Maiele, Jedediah, Kawikani, Micah and Andrew to take a small detour to Punta De Lobos, Chile. It was so Jedediah and Kawikani might catch some of the great waves they had there and also for Lana and the Fijians to enjoy some of the Chilean food that Central Santiago offered.
Micah dropped Jedediah and Kawikani off in the water and then they headed to the city.
Jedediah and Kawikani sat on their boards further out and watched the lefts swell line-up and break onto the big rock. “Are you sure you’re up for this?” Jedediah chuckled to Kawikani.
“Hey haole, I grew up riding waves just like this back home. See ya lata!” said Kawikani as he began to paddle his surfboard swiftly and hopped onto it.
Jedediah was fast behind him and did the same. He knew these were some pretty tough waves, but he’d always dreamed of surfing them one day. Jedediah stood up and began carving up a big one.
Kawikani began working the top and even caught a small tube.
I guess you do know how to surf big ones, Jedediah thought and then he himself also caught a small tube.
Kawikani rode his into the bay.
Jedediah pulled up short and then began to paddle back out.
“Do you like these waves?” Seturus asked in her mind below him.
“Seturus, what are you doing here, I thought you stayed behind?” Jedediah smiled.
“Talei and I wanted to make sure you two did not get hurt.”
“Thanks Sweetheart, but you better let us handle it. I’d rather you not get close to the jagged rocks they got out here.
“I will not go closer, if you will be careful.”
“I will; I’m not even wasting my time going too far into the bay.”
Kawikani now swam to Jedediah’s side, “I guess a haole boy like you can handle the big ones!” Kawikani chuckled.
“Yep, I’ve not surfed too many big ones, but you might say that my mer ancestors help me when it comes to maneuvering. By the way, the girls are here.”
“Really; tell Talei to be careful.”
“I will man, but Seturus told me she won’t go further in as long as I don’t wipe out.” Jedediah smiled.
“Then I guess we best be safe.” Kawikani paddled back to the line-up.
“I love you and I’ll be careful,” Jedediah said to Seturus and then paddled as fast as he could. He caught up to Kawikani and they had a good little competition.
Kawikani surfed a little too close to one of the cliffs and he wiped out; he and his board tumbled beneath the crushing force of the wave. Kawikani’s board was broken in two.
Talei swam and caught Kawikani just as he was about to be crushed on the rocks.
Kawikani smiled to her and she swam him up towards the surface and kissed him, then pushed him upward and past the breakers.
Jedediah paddled his board over to Kawikani. “Hey tough break.”
“Yes and very fortunate to have such good protection.” He smiled and gave Jedediah a fist bump.
The rest of the afternoon, Jedediah and Kawikani took turns on Jedediah’s board until Lana and the rest returned in the yacht to pick them up.
~~~
One warm evening in the South Atlantic Ocean, the mer stopped to enjoy the night sky with all its brilliance of stars and full moon. They visited back and forth with the men on the yacht as they played cards.
“I think I can beat that.” Jedediah grinned as he laid down his card.
“So tell me, what would you have done to me if I had not agreed to keep your secret?” Kawikani asked Micah jokingly.
“I would have killed you.” Micah slightly grinned as he picked up a card.
Kawikani chuckled and then noticed no one else thought it was funny.
I wouldn’t laugh my friend, thought Jedediah. He wasn’t sure if Micah would have, but he was glad Kawikani agreed to keep it.
“I can beat that,” said Andrew laying down his card.
“Okay, I’m done,” Jedediah said laying down all of his cards and then he jumped into the water and swam to Seturus and wrapped his arms around her.
“The sky is beautiful tonight,” she said looking up.
“Yeah, it is, but I hold something even more beautiful,” he said kissing her cheek.
“I hope your parents will accept me as your mate,” she said seriously looking into his eyes.
“I know they will; they know how happy you’ve made me.”
“But they do not know that you have quit school and that you wish to marry me right away,” she said concerned.
“It doesn’t matter; I’ve made my decision and I am going to marry you right away. This human has been pushed nearly beyond his limits of restraint,” he chuckled and smiled down to her.
“I too,” she giggled as she smiled up to him.
~~~
Cole and Rose had been waiting up for the yacht to arrive at their dock while Elizabeth stayed in the house with William who was now sleeping. They couldn’t believe it had been a year since they last saw their son and they couldn’t wait to welcome him home.
It was a warm night and they sat down at the end of their dock letting their feet dangle in the water as they held hands. Cole smiled knowing how anxious Rose was, “It won’t be long now Sweetheart.”
“I know, its just I can’t wait to see how much he’s grown. He’s had to do a lot on his own this past year, I’m sure it’s changed him some.” She gave a slight smile.
“Don’t worry, he hasn’t forgotten who raised him and I’m sure he can’t wait to see us too.” He bent down and kissed her.
“There’s a part of me that hopes he’s hated school and wants to settle back on the island.”
“You never know, he just might at that. But we need to let him make his own decisions. We know he’s gotta girl now and we don’t know where that might lead.”
“I know, I can’t blame him for falling in love with a mermaid like his father did once before.” Rose looked up to Cole and gave an understanding smile.
“Life is less complicated when you live with
the mer, but then you also have to hide so much of who you are. It isn’t an easy life for a human, but I’m sure with Micah and Andrew helping him it’s a little easier. Time will tell if he’s that serious about her.” Cole wrapped his arm around Rose.
When they finally spotted the yacht coming near their dock, it was 3:00am and they knew Jedediah and the rest had to be tired.
Legend of the Mer II THE NEW GUARDIAN Page 25